Dial-a-song started out as the outgoing message on the Johns' answering machine. The gimmick has grown along with the band, but I remember calling it back in the 80's after picking up their first major release on a total lark because I thought the cover art and name was cool.

If you have a copy of 'Then' - the first two Albums packaged together and re-released, there is a hilarious recording taken from a message actually left on the old dial-a-song machine. The caller apparently made a hobby of calling numbers from classified ads in the Village Voice, and apparently wasn't aware that she was actually leaving a message as she speculated on what she'd just heard.